Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chang'an, a side hall of the Liangyi Hall.

Night had fallen, and the candlelight cast Li Shimin's long shadow on the cold floor tiles.

What lay before him was no longer a map, but urgent reports from the Hundred Cavalry Commandery, the Ministry of War, and various secret envoys.

Between the lines, bloodshed and panic are palpable.

"No trace of the Crown Prince's main force has been found in the Jiangling direction. Reports from checkpoints along the way indicate that no unusually large-scale cavalry passage has been observed."

"The governor of Jingzhou has strengthened security and blocked the main waterways."

"General Li Ji has received His Majesty's secret decree and is secretly drawing elite troops from the northern front southward. They are expected to arrive in the Luoyang area and deploy defenses in ten days."

"General Li Jing reports that there are no unusual troop movements in Shandong and Hebei."

"The Prince of Rencheng also received a memorial from the military governors of Jiangnan East Circuit and Huainan Circuit, swearing to be loyal to His Majesty to the death..."

Li Shimin's gaze swept quickly over the reports, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, producing a monotonous and suppressed 'tap-tap' sound.

Quiet.

It's so quiet.

Li Chengqian led more than two thousand cavalrymen to break through the encirclement. Even if they traveled at high speed, it would be impossible for them to leave no trace.

The area around Jiangling was unusually calm.

This doesn't seem like a desperate escape; it's more like a targeted relocation.

"A counterattack..."

Li Shimin muttered to himself, a cold glint in his eyes.

He knew his son well; he was not one to sit idly by and wait for death or to live in a corner of the world.

Where will he come from to fight his way back?

Waterway? Land route?
Where is the destination? Luoyang? Or a direct assault on Chang'an?!

"Cloud!"

Li Shimin shouted in a deep voice.

Yun Duan appeared silently at the corner of the palace like a shadow: "Your subject is here!"

"Issue my secret order!"

Li Shimin spoke very quickly, with an undeniable determination:
"First, all sixteen guards of Chang'an shall immediately enter wartime alert. Double the number of troops at all city gates and strictly check those entering and leaving the city, especially those carrying weapons or horses! Any suspicious persons shall be detained immediately!"

"Secondly, order the generals guarding Tongguan, Wuguan, Sanguan, and Xiaoguan to be on high alert and send additional scouts a hundred miles away to investigate any suspicious troop movements, especially those from the southeast and south!"

"Third, send a message by carrier pigeon to the garrison commander in Luoyang, ordering him to seal off all major roads around Luoyang, thoroughly search the city, and be on guard against spies! Without my imperial edict, not a single soldier is to leave the city!"

"Fourth, tell Changsun Wuji to conduct another thorough search of Chang'an! Monitor everyone who may have a past relationship with the Crown Prince or who has recently behaved strangely!"

"Better to arrest a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free!"

"fifth……"

Li Shimin paused, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes:
"Keep a close eye on the Prince of Wei's residence! Also... the residences of Liu Ji, Yu Zhining, and others who have close ties with the Prince of Wei! Report any unusual activity immediately!"

"Yes!"

He received the order from the clouds and quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Orders, like an invisible net, were rapidly spread from Chang'an, the center of the empire, to all directions.

The entire Guanzhong Plain, the Central Plains, and even more distant regions were all affected by this sudden "Crown Prince's Rebellion" incident, and people were secretly on high alert.

Li Shimin walked outside the palace, looked up at the starry night sky, and took a deep breath of the cool air.

He felt a long-lost tension and excitement, as if he had returned to the battlefield, but it was also mixed with an indescribable heaviness and pain.

"Chengqian...where exactly do you intend to lead the Tang Dynasty?"

Meanwhile, a hidden path leads southeast.

Li Chengqian's entourage did not take the official road, but instead followed an old, abandoned trade route and mountain trails that had been abandoned for many years.

This road is rugged and difficult to travel, but it avoids major checkpoints and towns as much as possible.

The team took a short break in a sheltered valley.

The soldiers silently fed the horses, checked their equipment, and ate their rations; the atmosphere was somber and heavy.

Li Chengqian leaned against a huge rock, eating rough flatbread with his water bag.

Xi Junmai and several core generals surrounded him.

"Your Highness, at the current pace, we will reach the designated Han River ferry crossing in three more days," Xi Junmai said in a low voice.

"As for the navy, General Hilde has received a message by carrier pigeon that the main fleet is secretly heading south from Dengzhou, and some fast ships and inland river detachments should have already arrived at the designated waters to provide support."

"Ah."

Li Chengqian nodded, his gaze sweeping over his loyal soldiers:

"Tell the brothers to hang in there a little longer. Once we get on the ship, we'll have hot food and a good night's sleep."

"Your Highness, are we really... going back to attack Chang'an?"

A young general couldn't help but ask, his eyes showing both excitement and a hint of barely perceptible bewilderment.

That is, after all, the capital city, where His Majesty resides.

Li Chengqian glanced at him, his voice calm yet carrying a powerful persuasiveness: "We are not going to attack Chang'an, but to purge the court of corrupt officials and rectify the government."

He stood up and walked to a slightly higher earthen slope so that more soldiers could see him.

The night wind ruffled his cloak, and his voice carried clearly through the silent valley:

"Brothers! I know that many of you are filled with trepidation! Following me out of Chang'an, you bear the stigma of 'rebellion,' and the road ahead is uncertain!"

"But I want to tell you! I, Li Chengqian, have never thought of betraying the Tang Dynasty or the people of this world!"

"My campaigns against Goguryeo, the pacification of Tuyuhun, the sweeping defeat of Xueyantuo, and the crushing of Japan were all for the sake of securing the borders of the Tang Dynasty and for the sake of making the Chinese people stand tall in the world!"

"However, there are treacherous officials in the court who deceive the emperor, frame loyal and virtuous officials, and even attempt to break the backbone of our Great Tang's expansion and progress!"

"They are afraid of me, afraid of me carrying on the legacy you have built, afraid of change!"

"Now, they are even pinning the charge of 'treason' on me! They want to exterminate us all!"

Li Chengqian's voice suddenly rose, carrying a passionate indignation and an undeniable firmness:

"Can we sit idly by and wait for our doom? Can we allow those who only know how to fight for power and profit, those who are only concerned with petty gains, to destroy the foundation we built with blood and sweat, and to ruin the future of the Tang Dynasty?!"

"cannot!"

Xi Junmai roared first, flames burning in his eyes.

"cannot--!"

"cannot--!!"

More and more soldiers were infected, responding in low but firm voices. The fatigue and confusion from days of travel seemed to be dispelled by this momentum.

Li Chengqian raised his hand to lower his voice, his gaze sharp as he swept over every young and resolute face:

"Therefore, we must go back! Not to destroy, but to set things right! Not to oppose Father Emperor, but to eliminate those parasites entrenched in the court and corrupting the foundation of the Tang Dynasty!"

"We want the world to see who truly cares about the Tang Dynasty and can lead it to greater prosperity!"

"This path is destined to be fraught with thorns and near-death experiences! But history will remember today, and the choices each and every one of you made!"

"Those who are willing to follow me to dispel the clouds and restore the glory of the Tang Dynasty, then grasp your swords and spears tightly and follow in my footsteps!"

"Those who are unwilling, I will not force them. They may leave now, and I will provide them with travel expenses. I will not harm them!"

The valley was silent, save for the howling night wind.

A moment later, someone knelt down on one knee and growled:
"We swear to follow His Highness the Crown Prince to the death!"

"We swear to follow His Highness the Crown Prince to the death!"

"Set things right! Revitalize the Tang Dynasty!"

The deep, resolute vows echoed through the valley, coalescing into an invisible, unstoppable force.

Looking at these soldiers who were willing to entrust their lives and futures to him, Li Chengqian clasped his hands in a deep fist salute:
"Chengqian, thank you all, brothers! I will never forget your kindness today!"

At this moment, the cohesion between the ruler and his subjects reached an unprecedented level.

They were no longer just a fleeing army, but a force with clear beliefs and goals.

Xi Junmai, his face flushed with excitement, whispered, "Your Highness, the morale is high!"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the northwest direction of Chang'an, cold and resolute.

"Order: Rest is over, depart tonight! Destination: Han River ferry!"

"Before everyone can react, we must board the warships and sail down the Han River and the Yangtze River to equip our 'counterattack' with the sharpest spearhead!"

"Yes!"

Xi Junmai immediately accepted the order. (End of Chapter)